The announcement came at the end of a meeting that ran just over four hours, and after the Board returned from executive session. No reasons were given to the public for firing Mr. Jackson as CEO.

Board member Larry Griggs also announced that he would not continue to serve once his term runs out in May 2018.

The Board did not disclose which trustees voted to fire Jackson. In the past, Board chairman Brian Waldrop and Larry Griggs have generally supported Mr. Jackson. The three other board members are Freddie White-Johnson, Emma Bell, and Sammy Foster.